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Anchorage School Business Partnerships -
Anchorage School District and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce
(Anchorage, AK)
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| Goal: |
The goal of the Anchorage School Business Partnerships program centers on enhancing the education of Anchorage's geographically isolated students and community by promoting positive collaborative relationships among business, the Anchorage School District, and the local community. |
| Strategy: |
Promote positive educational involvement through an array of partnership
activities that support academic enrichment, community building, school
climate, school safety, parental support and involvement, healthy and
active lifestyles, technology in education, substance abuse prevention,
and student motivation/self-esteem.
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| Tactics: |
The Anchorage School Business Partnerships (SBP) program
was formed in 1991. This diverse, large-scale partnership among the business
community, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and the Anchorage School District:
- Taps into business partnerships to promote and enhance classroom curriculum
goals, including building students' self-esteem, developing skills for
the workforce, and fostering cultural awareness.
- Creates a forum for the exchange of information, ideas, and understanding
between the business and education communities targeted toward the improvement
and support of education. Key activities include:
- A yearlong community awareness campaign centered on the development
of partnerships;
- Training sessions in the fall and spring to inform educators and
businesses of the value and merits of partnerships; and
- Information-sharing with other interested area school districts.
- Promotes quality local partnerships as an investment in future workplace
productivity and competitiveness. Key activities include:
- Job shadowing and onsite visits, mentorship programs, and cooperative
learning opportunities;
- Staff opportunities to intern or job-shadow at business locations;
- An annual Executive Exchange Day and ongoing work toward a Teacher
Business Exchange Day;
- Maintenance of current partnerships and efforts to build new quality
programs; and
- A continued effort to maintain staffing sufficient to support
SBP programs, evaluation of each partnership through an annual survey,
and dissemination of survey results to key SBP publics.
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| Results: |
In 2004-2005, SBP program participation spanned: 49,000 students; 900 school staff; 260 businesses, nonprofits, and governmental agencies; and 1,000 business personnel.
Growth from 28 partnerships in 1991 to 450 partnerships in 2004-2005. These consist of 53 district-wide; 171 elementary; 148 secondary; and 78 gifted mentorships.
Annual growth and economic worth, largely from in-kind contributions, has risen from $140,000 in 1991-1992 to $2.5 million in 2004-2005.
Based on results of an annual evaluation, overall rating of the SBP program is "very good."
While 450 partnerships cannot be profiled, for illustrative purposes, one student-run bank within a high school trains students for the workforce in a "real world" context. Based on evaluation data, student employees have dramatically improved their appearance, academic standing, attendance, and self-esteem.
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